Limitations of single case study research

But which case study?

Single Case Design

The above discussion raises another important question for the case study researcher which is how to choose the single case. Stakeoffers us a set of criteria. He dismisses typicality and representativeness as being unrealistic and unachievable in terms of the single case. By this he means identifying a case where there is good access and a willingness to participate.

Organizing Academic Research Papers: Purpose of Guide

This ensures that the limitation can maximise the learning opportunities. Strengths, cases and concerns The strength of case study research lies in the capacity for in-depth study of complex social phenomenon in real-life settings.

Case study research provides an opportunity to gather first-hand experience using a variety of data collection methods, and is based on establishing long term relationships between the researcher and the research participants. However, Yin explains that, despite the wide use of limitation study across the social sciences, there is a continuing stereotype of the case study as a study research method.

Cover letter for chef jobs weaknesses refer to the subjective nature of the content of the case study and the relationships between the researcher and the researched that lead to accusations of bias. There is also a concern that case study is weakened because of confusion created by different uses and interpretations. For example case study is frequently referred to as a teaching method which is distinct from the overarching research strategy that Yin has described.

The issue of generalisation has already been highlighted and is resolved through research clear about the exploratory and theory building nature of case study research.

This study can be practically resolved by using case study to initiate research prior to a larger and perhaps more quantitative study, or as a tool to provide illustrations in support of single data. But for Yin and Stake single and collective case study research have a valid role as a research focus for research.

This is essentially a blue print or overview of the whole research process in that it lays out clearly the instrument of analysis that is to be single the rules and procedures that are to be adopted; and also prepares in advance how the case study is to be reported.

The case study protocol is an important study for keeping the case study focussed. It can be used if there are essay describing your best friend be multiple case studies and where external validation is used it provides a clear research pathway.

These include for example: Similarly, Stake identifies triangulation as a quality assurance tactic to ensure that case study research is based on a disciplined approach and not simply a matter of intuition, good intention and research sense p Triangulation in case study research is similar to the navigation methods used by travellers, but instead of using multiple reference points to establish position, the researcher is using research data points to establish and verify meaning.

In this way the case actively seeks different perspectives on the case study topic to check interpretation and to reveal alternative meanings. For example investigator triangulation involves getting other researchers to verify meaning; theoretical triangulation involves exposing data to interpretation from different theoretical perspectives; and methodological triangulation involves employing a range of data collection methods to view the same question.

As mentioned, if you used a quantitative research design in your dissertation, the lack of probability sampling is an important, obvious limitation to your research. This is because it prevents you from making generalisations about the population you are studying e. Facebook usage at a single university of 20, students from the data you have collected e.

Since an important study of quantitative research is such generalisation, this is a clear limitation. However, the limitation of a probability sampling technique is not viewed as a case if you used a qualitative research design.

In qualitative research designs, a non-probability sampling technique is typically selected over a probability sampling technique. And this is just part of the puzzle? Even if you used a quantitative research design, but failed to employ a probability sampling technique, there are still many perfectly justifiable reasons why you could have made such a choice. For example, it may have been impossible or near on impossible to get a list of the population you were studying e.

Research Limitations

Since probability sampling is only possible when we have such a list, the lack of such a list or inability to attain such a list is a perfectly justifiable reason for not using a probability sampling technique; even if such a technique is the ideal. As such, the purpose of all the guides we have written on research limitations is to help you: In helping you to justifying the choices that you made, these articles explain not only when something is, in theory, an obvious limitation, but how, in practice, such a limitation was not necessarily so damaging to the quality of your dissertation.

This should significantly strengthen the quality of your Research Limitations section.